Exploitable Weaknesses by Brian Keller (red queen free ebook txt) 📗

we have you to thank for our current situation, but it might end up sounding like blame.” Utsef looked around then asked for clarification, “How so?” Birt smiled, “Because you didn’t tell Cooper that his plan was almost impossible!” Utsef shook his head as he chuckled, “Point of fact, I did tell him. I’ll accept neither credit nor blame. I simply advised him as best I could when he refused to be discouraged.” Cooper sighed, “You both realize that I’m right here, don’t you?” Utsef winked, “Of course. I’ve always known where you are, despite your best attempts at stealth.” Now Cooper stood, “In the Forest, maybe; but now we’re in the city, and I’ve Manifested.” Utsef conceded, “Those are fair points. I’ll leave the city to you.” He nodded to Birt then sat back down across from Cooper, “I’ll stay for a couple of days. We can take the plan apart, look at all the components, and determine what remains to be done.” This statement made Cooper feel both grateful and defensive, at the same time. Evidently, it showed. Birt pointed an accusing finger at him and blurted to Utsef, “Did you see that? You saw it too, right?!” Utsef chuckled, “I saw it. He knows I’ll be critical of his plans, but he values my input. He also knows that I’m no longer in a position to “grade” him.” Cooper muttered, “Of course not, now the only thing at stake is the future of the Guild here in Paleros.” Utsef smiled, “Sarcasm is the lowest form of humor, you know.” Cooper raised his eyebrows in mock amazement, “Really? And here I’ve been accused of having no humor at all.” Cooper leaned to give Birt a long stare and Utsef laughed boisterously and rocked backward as he slapped both thighs, then replied “I think you have a terrific sense of humor!” Then he winked and added, “But you’d make a poor court jester.” Birt turned away, shaking his head, “I’ll leave before you both start playing ‘pull my finger’ or something.” Birt was out of earshot when Utsef spoke again, “You’ve got a good group here. They not only trust you, they believe in you.” Cooper shrugged, “We’re working toward a common goal. I’m glad you’re here. The plan is good, but I can’t believe that I’ve thought of everything.”

By nightfall, they’d dug little holes to symbolize some things and made small piles from the dirt to signify other things. They’d collected a bunch of rocks to expand their discussion when they decided to examine the plan spatially as well as chronologically. They ended up adding more wood to a fire they’d built so they could continue to work by firelight. This continued until the cooks threatened to withhold breakfast if they burned up all the wood intended for cooking fires. The two Assassins conceded victory to the ladies. The entire membership would be seeking their blood if they interfered with breakfast, and they knew it. They continued by the light of a few carefully arranged lanterns for a few hours longer, until they began to succumb to the drowsiness that everyone else in the Guild had accepted hours earlier.

Cooper woke to the sounds of steel on steel. As he bolted awake he thought he heard the sounds of Rukle cursing. He didn’t even take the time to secure his belt. He simply grabbed it long enough to unsheathe the blades and let it drop somewhere between his bed and the door. Pushing the door aside he was blinded momentarily by the morning sun. “How had I slept so late?!” Not knowing the threat, he crouched as he rushed out of the doorway, making himself a small, unpredictable target while his eyes adjusted. Rising from his crouch, he tried to focus on where the noises were coming from. There was no clank of armor, no sounds of shouted orders, simply the rapid ringing of blades meeting blades. He heard Utsef laugh then call out, “Good! But faster with that half-turn. Protect that shoulder. A deep cut there and you won’t be raising that arm.” Cooper also heard Rukle’s pained voice call out to him, “Good morning, sleepyhead. Care to step over here and get me loose?” Cooper’s eyesight had adjusted and he saw Utsef and Spen circling each other while Rukle lay in the dust, cursing, tangled in netting made of fine woven wire. Cooper took one more look at the scene, then walked back inside to get dressed. Rukle shouted at his back, “So I’ll just wait right here, shall I? Hey! You’re coming back out, right?”

That morning at breakfast they all gathered at the largest table. Rukle was still smarting, “Those wires have hooks on them!” He indicated Cooper, “And he just left me there!” The ladies serving breakfast seemed disinterested and Birt chided, “Quite trying to get an extra ‘sympathy portion’. If you want more, go for ‘seconds’.” Cooper asked Utsef, “How’s Spen doing? I haven’t had much time for practice lately.” Utsef shrugged, “He's doing better, but still needs instruction. He’s fast, but speed is no replacement for technique. I doubt he’ll become as fast as you, but speed isn’t the most important thing in making a fine Assassin anyway.” Dailen laughed, “Nobody’s as fast as Cooper.” He turned to Birt, “Remember that time in Weapons Class? Before Cooper had even Manifested, and Mister Skran had him demonstrate? He was so fast even then that Mister Skran made him do it again, so we could all see it!” Cooper’s mood darkened at the mention of that event, and Mister Skran. Utsef turned a scrutinizing eye at Cooper but said nothing. Cooper mumbled, “I don’t expect we’ll see Mister Skran again. I always wondered what he looked like. He kept his hood up so far, you could never see.” Utsef grunted, “His face had been burned.” Dailen spouted, “You knew him?” Utsef nodded, “Yes. He was one of my students once. He got